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House passes bill to block funding for abortions

'Simply put, we must end what Obamacare did,' Rep. Mike Pompeo said of the bill. |
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The bill’s supporters, however, say it would not change the current Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, a law that stipulates any health care provider that participates in Medicare must treat anyone who arrives at their door in need of emergency care.

This is likely to be the end of the road for the bill. The Democratic-controlled Senate is unlikely to take it up, and the Obama administration has threatened to veto the bill if it did reach his desk.

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But Speaker John Boehner and Majority Leader Eric Cantor have both said House Republicans were upholding their “Pledge to America.”

“We’re keeping our word to the American people," Boehner said.

Abortion rights groups said this is the seventh such vote on abortion issues and reproductive rights the House has had in this Congress.

“Americans are facing real challenges, yet House Speaker John Boehner is ignoring the public’s call for Congress to focus on jobs," said NARAL President Nancy Keenan. “Instead, he is coming up with new ways to give politicians more control over our personal, private decisions. The House’s attacks on women’s freedom and privacy are out of touch with our nation’s values and priorities.”

Planned Parenthood urged their supporters to call congressmen urging them to vote against the bill. A spokesman said 5,100 such calls were made.

Anti-abortion groups said the bill is needed to protect the taxpayers.

“Nearly 70 percent of Americans, both pro-life and pro-choice, do not want their tax dollars paying for abortions. If this bill is not signed into law, taxpayer dollars will fund abortion through Obamacare,” said Penny Nance, CEO and President of Concerned Women for America.

Minority Whip Steny Hoyer expressed his frustration during the debate, saying the health care reform law already has language to make sure its funds can’t be used for abortions. “No matter how many times you say it, the fact is we specifically precluded that from happening,” Hoyer said.

In his response, Pitts held up a copy of the health reform law — the Affordable Care Act — and read a title of a section.

“I have a copy here of the law, on page 65 I’ll just read one title of a paragraph: Abortions for which public funding is allowed,” Pitts said.

Jennifer Haberkorn contributed to this report.

This article first appeared on POLITICO Pro at 7:23 p.m. on October 13, 2011.

“The left has moved so far that they object to this simple, common-sense measure that would protect taxpayers from having their money go to a procedure they find abhorrent,” said Rep. Mike Pompeo (R-Kan.). “Simply put, we must end what Obamacare did. We must stop subsidizing abortions with federal taxpayer dollars.”

So women with connections to the military cannot use the government provided health care for OBGYN? There are many reasons why a woman would have to choose to end a pregnancy. Health, rape, and any other reasons not related to birth control.

This is how radical the Tea Party has taken the GOP.

And the big question is: WHAT THE HECK DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH J. O. B. S. JOBS YOU FREEKIN IDIOTS.

This article is deceiving. The federal government does not fund abortion, and has never funded abortion since 1976.

What this laws would do if passed, would prohibit women from getting abortion coverage from their private insurers if the bought insurance through the exchange. The majority of private health insurers already do provide abortion coverage. This has nothing to do with federal funding at all. It is just another attempt for the radical right to interfere with a woman's private healthcare decisions, and put women's lives in danger.

Abortion is a legal medical procedure, so it should be covered, especially when the woman is paying her own insurance. OH and a woman's right to privacy is guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution.

The republicans in the House have done nothing since they took control in 2010, but put forth legislaiion in an attempt to to limits a woman's right to choose, while America waits for them to do something important pass the JOBS bill.

Women will still have the same abortion rights they currently have. This bill merely removes the public purse as a funding source, and allows individual providers to opt out on non-emergency abortion procedures. Access to and quality of abortion services is not affected. Again, who pays the bill will change.

I imagine you perceive women to be the weaker sex, unable to be their own financial provider, requiring uncle sam to step in and care for them. Wake up, women are as capable as men.

You have it backwards. The TeaBag controlled GOP is waging a war on working class Americans.

Really? I'm working class but I don't know a lot of women that NEED to have abortions and I'd rather not have some of my income pay for those who feel they do. Part of the Democrat "war on paverty" over the last 50 years has been to make abortions cheap and easy freeing up single women to not be "burdened" with children. How's that working out? Not too great in my book.

The truth is the power lies with the States. The States vest the power to the Fed and as soon as a smart group of Governors realizes the Power within their grasp we can turn back the political clock a hundred years. Texas, South Carolina and Arizona recall their reps from D.C, freeze all Federal regulation and tax collection and see how long it takes a dozen more States to join. At that ponit most of D.C. will have the sudden realazation that they are living in Rental Housing and the Credit Card has been canceled. The movement begins with the States..The power was theirs before and it can be again.

Miscarriage is a layman's term for spontaneous abortion or an incomplete abortion (medical terminology). Elective abortion is when a women chooses to terminate her pregnancy.

Missed abortion, is when the fetus has died in, but the contents have not been expelled from the uterus.

A miscarriage or spontaneous abortion is a very scary thing and can be fatal to the woman to whom it is happening, especially if the pregnancy is more than 20 weeks gestation. The fact that the MEN in congress have so little respect for women and their needs and their opinions is astounding. I don't thinks I will ever vote republican again. Why would I? They have shown themselves to be the enemy of everything decent and compassion and respectful. I feel sorry for the wives and daughters who have husbands and fathers with this type of attitude.